Losing of the Claw
by Frankthetriviaman
Summary: When Diesel 10 loses his claw in a freak accident, he becomes very depressed. But when Edward assures him that what made him unique is not necessarily what made him special, can Diesel 10 come to terms with being claw-less?


**Author's Note: This story is a one-shot I wrote on a forum a while back when I had an idea for a story where Diesel 10 will lose his claw in a freak accident, but he learns that one does not need a claw to be special. Without further ado, here is Losing of the Claw**

It was a lovely day on the island of Sodor, and the engines were working hard all over the island. Diesel 10 had just been given a job to do in Crosby, and was on his way there. He was going along fine, when suddenly his claw started acting up.

"Huh? Pinchy? What's wrong with you?" he said confused. Pinchy was stuck in the "up" position, and wouldn't come down. Making matters worse, he was speeding right towards a tunnel!

"Oh no!" Diesel 10 said and he applied his brakes as hard as he could, but it was no good. Diesel 10's claw was ripped clean off Him by the tunnel. Crunching metal was all Diesel 10 heard as he came to a halt.

Workmen arrived to clean up the mess; luckily the tunnel wasn't damaged and only required some cleaning up. But diesel 10's claw was now a mess of twisted metal and broken hydraulics.

"Pinchy..." Diesel 10 said sadly. Sir Topham Hatt arrived at the accident scene, but he wasn't angry at Diesel 10.

"The accident wasn't your fault Diesel 10" he explained, "Your claw acted up for no reason, more than likely it was some faulty hydraulics" he further elaborated.

"will I ever get my claw back sir?" Diesel 10 asked.

Sir Topham Hatt sighed, "I'm afraid not Diesel 10; the damage done was too severe... its scrap metal now." Diesel 10 didn't reply, so Sir Topham Hatt turned around and left.

Diesel 10 was depressed after the accident; he wouldn't come out of his shed for several days. Thomas and Percy passed by one afternoon and quipped a couple jokes at him.

"My my Diesel 10, doesn't it feel good to have that big weight off your back?" Thomas said.

"Your bark is certainly worse than your bite" Percy added.

Diesel 10 didn't even look at them, and said nothing.

"Gosh, I know we've had our differences in the past, but even Diesel 10 doesn't deserve to be this depressed" Percy told Thomas. Surprisingly, Thomas could not help but agree.

Diesel 10 eventually got out of his shed, but he just went about his work saying nothing.

Edward was concerned about Diesel 10; and one day he pulled up alongside him. "You know Diesel 10, you don't truly need a claw. It's true that it made you unique, but that doesn't mean it was what made you special. You may not have a claw anymore, but it does not mean that you aren't special anymore" Edward assured. Diesel 10 hadn't thought about that; maybe there was more to him than his claw.

A few days later, Diesel 10 had just finished making a delivery to the docks, when he saw some unique looking freight cars. They were white, with red crosses on them.

"They're medical supplies Diesel 10; Edward will be coming by later to deliver them to the hospital." The yard master explained.

"Sir! Sir! Listen to this!" A worker called out. On a nearby radio, a news broadcast informed of an overturned bus a few towns over. No one had been killed thankfully, but many were injured and needed to get to the hospital. Not only that, but Edward had a jammed valve gear, and had been put in a siding out of the way. This meant he couldn't deliver the medical supplies.

Diesel 10 was horrified with what he just heard; the hospital needed these supplies now more than ever. He suddenly became filled with resolve.

"This isn't good; how will we get these supplies to the hospital without Edward?" The yard master asked.

"I'll do it!" Diesel 10 said, as he prepared to back down on the medical train.

"Are you sure Diesel 10?"

"Yes; if these supplies don't get to the hospital those bus passengers won't get treatment, and they need it" Diesel 10 said. "Edward was right; I don't need a claw to be special, I can be special by helping out today."

Soon Diesel 10 was racing down Edward's branch line; he had to get to Wellsworth Station as soon as possible.

"Clear the line; this train is important!" Diesel 10 called out as he raced down Edward's branch line.

Word spread quickly down the Brendham branch, and signalmen cleared the lines for Diesel 10's train. "Come on Diesel 10, you can make it!" BoCo said as he passed by with a goods train on the other track.

In record time, Diesel 10 arrived at Wellsworth Station. Supply trucks were there to take the medical supplies to the hospital; they were quickly unloaded.

"Well done Diesel 10; heaven knows what would have happened if we didn't get these supplies, you are truly a really useful and special engine" a worker said before he left in one of the trucks.

From a siding, Edward called out to Diesel 10 "see, you're still special Diesel 10, claw or no claw" the kind old engine assured.

"I guess you're right Edward" he said, grinning.

Diesel 10 came back to his shed a hero that night, as the other diesels honked their horns excitedly.

"That was incredible!" BoCo said.

"You're a hero Diesel 10!" Sidney added.

"And really useful too" Paxton finished up with.

"You know guys, these past few days had me thinking; I thought losing my claw would be the worst thing to ever happen to me, but instead I've come to realize that I don't need a claw to be special, I am special just by being a really useful engine. Those steam engines were right, there's no other engine like me on Sodor... Even if I no longer have a claw."

Then he diesels all had a good laugh before going to sleep. Diesel 10 May no longer have a claw, but it doesn't matter to him, he is special even without one.


End file.
